Belt tightener



Patented June 1, 1954 BELT TIGHTENER Lewis S. Farner, New Kensington,Pa. Application November 24, 1952, Serial No. 322,195

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structuralrefinements in belt tighteners, and the principal object of theinvention is to provide an apparatus of the character herein described,which may be conveniently and effectively employed for drawing togetherthe ends of a belt, such as for example, a conveyor belt, immediatelyprior to connecting the ends of the belt together.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity ofconstruction, in its eificient and dependable operation, and in itsadjustability to accommodate belts of different thicknesses and widths.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention, the same beingpartially broken away so as to reveal its construction;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the invention, and

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially in theplane of the line 33 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the belt tighteneris designated generally by the reference character lll and embodies inits construction a pair of spaced, parallel belt clamping units l2, eachconsisting of a pair of superposed bars or straps I4, l6, which areprovided in end portions thereof with sets of registering apertures I8to selectively receive clamping bolts 20.

The straps l4, I6 of each clamping unit l2 are adapted to receivetherebetween a belt 22 which is to be tightened, it being noted that thestraps are substantially longer than the width of the belt, so that thebolts 20 are disposed at the outside of the longitudinal edges of thebelt, as is clearly shown in Figure 3.

A pair of elongated, extensible and contractible jack members 24 extendbetween and are connected to the opposite end portions of the clampingunits I 2, each of these jack members including a rod 26 having aconventional jack device 28 adjustably positioned on one end portionthereof. The jack device 28 is actuated by means of a suitable handle30, the arrangement being such that when this handle is actuated in anoscillatory fashion, the jack device 28 travels along the rod 26 in thedirection of the arrow 32 as shown in Figure l.

The two jack devices 28 are provided with base plates 34 which, in turn,are equipped with downwardly projecting pins 36, the latter beingreceivable in the apertures [8 of the straps l4, I6 of one of theclamping units l2.

The free ends of the two rods 26 are provided with spacer blocks 38which, in turn, are equipped with downwardly projecting pins 40receivable in the apertures l8 of the straps l4, US of the otherclamping unit l2.

When the invention is placed in use, the units 12 are clamped by meansof the screws or bolts 20 to the end portions of the belt 22 and byactuating the handles 36 of the two jack devices 28, the jack devicesare caused to travel along the rods 26 toward the spacer blocks 38 asshown by the arrow 32, so that, in effect, the entire clamping unit l2to which the pins 36 are connected is drawn toward the other clampingunit having the pins 40 engaged therewith. In that fashion, the ends ofthe belt are brought together and the belt is substantially tightenedprior to connecting the ends thereof.

It is to be noted that since two of the members 24 are employed, one ateach side of the belt, they may be individually and independentlyactuated, which will result in a longitudinal pulling as well as alateral shifting action being imparted to the belt, so that the ends ofthe belt may be properly longitudinally aligned.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and, accordingly,further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur tothose skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, allsuitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, fallingwithin the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A belt tightener of the character described comprising: pairs ofclamping bars for receiving the end portions of a belt therebetween,said bars having spaced openings in the end portions thereof, boltsinsertable selectively in the openings for securing the belt between thepairs of ing on the other pair of bars, and-depending pins 10 on saidspacers engageable selectively in the openings in said other pair ofbars for adjustably,

detachably and operatively connecting the rods thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 685,201 Cummings Oct. 22, 1901 1,108,732 Foulk Aug. 25, 19141,894,298 Sutton et al. Jan. 1'7, 1933 2,335,589 Fr'emeau Nov. 30, 1943

